Hand sled



19 M. K. BENSON 2,446,452

HAND SLED Filed Oct. 5, 1946 IN V EN TOR.

Patented Aug. 3, 1948.

1mm) stun Merle K. Benson, Benton Harbor, Mich, assignor to T-M-K Corporation, Davenport, Iowa, a corporation of Iowa Applicatlon flctober 3, 1946, Serial No. 701,016

10 Claims. 1

" This invention relates to improvements in hand sled. The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a hand sled which is formed of metal including a top or deck and at the same time of moderate weight.

Second, to provide a hand sled in which the raves, runners, and struts are formed of a single piece of tubing or rod stock.

Third, to provide a hand sled having these advantages which may be economically produced.

Further objects relating to details and economies of the invention will appear from the description to follow. The invention is defined in the claims.

-A structure which embodies the features of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which: a

Fig; 1 is a plan view of a hand sled embodying my invention.

a Fig. 2 is a side elevational view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the structure with the deck or top and steering'mechanism removed.

I Fig.4 is an enlarged fragmentary view in vertical section on a line corresponding to line 4-4 of Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view in longitudinal section on a line corresponding to line 55 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 isan enlarged fragmentary view showing details of the steering mechanism on a line corresponding to line 8-6 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a modified form or embodiment of my invention, the section corresponding to line 1-1 of Fig. 6.

--In the preferred embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive the raves l, runners 2, and strut members 3 are formed of a single piece of tubing bent to provide these several parts. The raves are connected at their front ends by the forwardly bowed cross piece 4. The rear ends of the raves are turned downwardly at 5 to merge at 6 with the runners 2. The front ends of the runners are directed upwardly at I and the stock is thence bent rearwardly into V-shaped strut members 3 which engage the top of the runners centrally thereof at-8 and are welded thereto as indicated at '9. Fig. 4. The rear arms 10 of thestrut members are welded to the under side of the raves at H.

The cross bar l2 also formed of a piece of tubing in this preferred embodiment stands between the forward ends of the forward arms l4 of the 2 strut members and is welded at l5 to the inner sides thereof. The welds are not illustrated, as they will be understood.

The deck or top it is formed of a sheet metal plate or panel having its side edges I I raised around the raves I and welded thereto asindicated at It. The front end of the deck or top is curved downwardly at I! to overhang the cross piece 4, connecting the front ends of the raves and is welded thereto as indicated at 20. The rear edge of the deck is rounded and down- Wardly curved as shown at 2|. The deck thus supported and secured in association with the raves serves the function of benches and thus re-- sults in economy of material and also in minimizing weight. The deck, being welded to the raves front cross piece is strongly supported even when formed of relatively light sheet stock.-

The steering arm or member 22 is in the form of a dished segmental plate and is pivotally mounted at '23 on the cross bar l2. The rear end of the arm or steering plate is pivotally connected by the pivot bolt 24 to the forwardly projecting bracket 25, centrally positioned on the cross piece 4. The upwardly flaring portion 26 of the steering plate is provided with a downturnedrlm 21 receiving the curved steering bar 28 which is welded thereto as indicated at 29.

The handle bar projects beyond the steering plateand is provided with suitable non-metallic grips 30. The steering plate or plate-like steering arm thus provides a rounded front surface which is not likely to injure a child or object which the sled may contact, and the handle or steering bar is supported so that it may be formed of comparatively light stock and at the same time strong and rigid.

The knees 3| are formed of straight'pieces of tubing or red, their upper ends being welded to the under sides of the raves and their lower ends rested upon and being welded to the strut members at their point of attachment to the runners. The strut arms I!) are in effect combination braces or struts and knees.

With the parts thus arranged, an all metal structure isprovided, without excessive weight and at the same time it is very strong and durable.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 7, the raves, runners, and; strut members are formed of two pieces of stock 32, joined at their ends in the .rave cross piece 4! corresponding" to the cross piece ,4, by means of the coupling sleeve 33, carryiugthe bracket 34 to which the steering plate .22 isconnected. The; sleeve 3'3 is arranged betweenthe ends of they members 32' and parts are welded at 36 and 31 making in effect an integral structure, however, one which has somewhat less complications in the matter of bending the stock to form the several unitary parts.

I have illustrated and described my invention as embodied in a structure which I consider very desirable commercially. I have not attempted to illustrate or describe other embodiments or adaptations, as it is believed that this disclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt my invention as may be desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: v

l. A sled comprising raves and runners. and

V-shaped strut members formed integrally of a piece of tubular stock, the raves beingconnected at their front endsby an 'integr.al"for-'" tending between the front arms of the strut members and welded thereto adjacent their front ends, a :bracket secured centrally to the rave cross wardly bowed rave cross piece, the rear/endsof the raves being curveddownwardly and merging with the rear ends of the runners, the front ends of the runners being. curved upwardly and extended rearwardly into the M-shapestrut mem bers, the bights of whichare welded to the upper sides of the runners, the rear arms of the strut membersbeing welded to the under sidesofthe raves adjacent'their .rear ends k'nees disposed between the bights of the'strut members and the raves and Welded thereto, across bar extending between the front armsrofthe strut members and welded-thereto adjacent their front ends, a bracket secured centrally to the rave cross piece to project forwardly therefrom, a segmental dished-steering plate pivotally mounted on said cross bar and pivotallyv connected to said bracket on said rave cross piece, acunved handlegbar provided with grips at its ends, -.-said .steering plate'having a downwardly facing curved rim welded to said handle bar, and a deck formed of sheet, metal having downwardly curved side edge portions embracing and welded gtosaid raves and a downwardly facing, curved front end welded to said rave cross piece.

'2. A sled comprising raves and r-unners and V-shaped strut members formed integrally of a piece of tubular stock, the raves being connected at their front ends by an 'in-tegral forwardly bowed rave cross piece-the re'ar-ends-of the-raves being curved downwardly and merging with the rear ends of the runners, the front ends of the r runners being curved upwardly and extended rearwardly into the V-sha-ped strut members, the bights of "which are welded into the upper sidesofthe runners, the rear arms-of the-strut members being welded to the under '-sides :of' the raves adjacent theirrear ends, knees "disposed between the bights of the strut members and-the raves and welded thereto,--a cross bar extending between the front arms-of the strut members and welded thereto adjacent their front ends, :a bracket secured centrally to the rave cross piece to project forwardly therefrom-"aw steering :mernber pivotally mounted on said crossbar :and pivotally connected to said bracket-on saidrave cross piece, -a handle bar secured to said steering member, and-a deck formed of sheet metal 'having downwardly. curved side edge :portions embracing and welded to said raves ian da downwardly facing curved front end*welded'totsaidrrave cross piece 4 1 i 1 3.-A sled comprising raves and runners and V-shaped strut .membersformed integrally of *a piece of tubular stock, the raves being connected at their front ends "by i an 'integral forwardly bowed ravecross-piece, the rear-ends of the piece to project forwardly therefrom, a segmental dished steering plate pivotally mounted on said crosslbar-andgpivotally connected to said bracket ionwsaid rave cross piece, a curved handle bar provided withigrips at its ends, said steering plate having ,a downwardly facing cunved rim welded to saidhandl'e "bar, and a deck formed of sheet metal having downwardly curved side edge portions embracing and welded to said raves and a downwardly facing curved front end welded to said rave cross piece.

4. A sled comprising raves and runners'an'd -V-shaped strut members formed integrally of a piece of tubular stock, the raves being connected at their front ends by an integral forwardly bowed rave cross piece the rear ends of the raves being curved downwardly and merging with the rear ends of the runners-the front ends of the runners being curved upwardly anduextended rearwardly into the V-shaped strut members, the bights of which are welded into the upper-sides of the runners, the rear armsofwthe strut members being welded to the under sides of the raves adjacent their rearends,-a-.cross bar extending between the front arms of the strut members and welded thereto adjacent their front ends, a bracketsecured centrally to the rave cross piece to project forwardly therefrom, ,a steering memberpivotally mounted on said cross bar and pivotally connected to said -br acket-.on said rave cross piece, a handle bar securedto said steering member, and a deck-formed of sheet metal having-downwardly curved side edge portions embracing and welded to said raves and a downwardly facing curved front end welded to said rave cross-piece.

5. A sled comprising raves and runnersand strutmem-bers formed integrally, the raves being connected at their front ends by an integral forwardly curved rave cross piece, thereanendsof the raves being'turneddownwardly and merging with the rear ends of the runners, the front ends of the runners, being turned upwardly :andextended rearwardly into the downwardly bowed strut members, welded centrallyto the upper sides of the runners,thexrear arms of the'strut members being welded to the under sidesiof the raves, knees disposed between the bights of the strut'mem'bers and-the raves and welded thereto, a- "cross-bar extending between the front ends of the runners, asegmental dished steering plate pivotally-connected' to said cross bar andepivotally connected to said rave cross piece, a curved handle bar-provided with 'gripsat its ends, said steering plate having a downwardly facing curved rim "welded to said handle bar, and a deck secured tozsa'id raves.

6.: A sled comprising-raves and runners :and strut members formeddntegrally, the ravesbe- :ing connected at their front ends by an integral forwardly curved rave cross piece, the I rear-ends of the iraves being :turned downwardly and .merging with the-rear ends of the runners, the front :ends of the runners .being turned upwardly and extended rearw-ardly into the downwardly bowed strut members welded centrally of the'runners to the upper sides of the runners, the rear arms of the strut members being welded to the under sides of the raves, knees disposed between the bigirits of the strut members and the raves and Welded thereto, a cross bar extending between the front ends of the runners, a steering member pivot-ally connected to said cross bar and pivotally connected to said rave cross piece, a handle bar secured to said steering member, and a deck secured to said raves.

'l. A sled comprising raves and runners and strut members between the raves and runners, the raves being connected at their front ends by an integral rave cross piece, the rear ends of the raves being curved downwardly and merging with the rear ends of the runners, the front ends of the runners being upturned and merging with the strut members which are secured to the runners centrally thereof and to the raves adjacent their rear ends, knees disposed between the strut members at their point of attachment to the runners and to the raves and secured thereto, a cross bar connected to the front ends of the runners, a segmental dished steering plate pivotally mounted on said cross bar and pivotally connected to said rave cross piece, a curved handle bar provided with grips at its ends, said steering plate having a downwardly facing curved rim welded to said handle bar, and a deck formed of sheet metal having downwardly curve side edge portions engaging and fixedly secured to said raves and a downwardly facing curved front end fixedly secured to said rave cross piece.

8. A sled comprising raves and runners and strut members between the raves and runner-s, the raves being connected at their front ends by an integral rave cross piece, the rear ends of the raves'being curved downwardly and merging with the rear ends of the runners, the front ends of the runners being upturned and merging with the strut members which are secured to the runners centrally thereof and to the raves adjacent their rear ends, a cross bar connected to the front ends of the runners, a segmental dished steering plate pivotally mounted on said cross bar and pivotally connected to said rave cross piece, a curved handle bar provided with grips at its ends, said steering plate having a downwardly facing curved rim welded to said handle bar, and a deck formed of sheet metal having downwardly curved side edge portions engaging and fixedly secured to said raves and a downwardly facing curved front end fixedly secured to said rave cross piece.

9. A sled comprising raves and runners and strut members between the raves and runners, the raves being connected at their front ends by an integral rave cross piece, the rear ends of the raves being curved downwardly and merging with the rear ends of the runners, the front ends of the runners being upturned and merging with the strut members which are secured to the runners centrally thereof and to the raves adjacent their rear ends, knees disposed between the strut members at their point of attachment to the runners and to the raves and secured thereto, a cross bar connected to the front ends of the runners, a steering member pivotally mounted on said cross bar and pivotally connected to said rave cross piece, a handle bar, and a deck fixedly connected to said raves.

10. A sled comprising raves and runners and strut members between the raves and runners, the raves being connected at their front ends by an integral rave cross piece, the rear ends of the raves being curved downwardly and merging with the rear ends of the runners, the front ends of the runners being upturned and merging with the strut members which are secured to the runners centrally thereof and to the raves adjacent their rear ends, a cross bar connected to the front ends of the runners, a steering member pivotally mounted on said cross bar and pivotally connected to said rave cross piece, a handle bar, and a deck fixedly connected to said raves.

MERLE K. BENSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 139,396 Karn et al. May 27, 1873 1,110,525 Andruszkiewicz Sept. 15, 1914:. 1,431,826 Lovett Oct. 10, 1922 2,233,012 Hclbrook Feb. 25, 1941 

